The Arcturus COVID-19 variant has arrived in the United States and is here to stay.
According to experts, while it’s unclear whether it will drive a summer surge, some doctors are warning that the variant may be causing an uptick in unusual COVID-19 symptoms.
The latest omicron subvariant, officially named XBB.1.16, was first detected in January. In recent months, social media users dubbed it “Arcturus” — which is the brightest star in the Northern celestial hemisphere — to the dismay of some health officials.
Last week, XBB.1.16 accounted for an estimated 12.5% of new confirmed COVID-19 cases in the U.S. compared to about 10% the previous week, according to the latest data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.